Scott Atwell Star Trek Discussion thread (Series and Films) (4 Viewers)

[andySu]

Wouldn't the Vulcan harp be some musical guitar instrument synced with prop on the TOS?

I guess you've all heard about this (Vulcan app harp).

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/star-trek-vulcan-harp/id740110925?mt=8


Looked around and come across this.

Star Trek Blueprints: Vulcan Harp (Lyre) Construction Plans
http://cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars/vulcan-harp-construction-plans.php

 

[Nelson Au]

They were pretty clever back then to carefully edit the music and reuse bits here and there on the series Scott.I remember back in the 80's or 90's where a guy was selling really nice replicas of the Vulcan harp that really played. Pretty amazing!

 

[Nelson Au]

During my recent Corbomite Maneuver study, I inadvertently placed myself in a position of someone seeing it the first time. The music finding was fun from yesterday. But today while listening to the episode itself, it made me think of a couple things a first time viewer might be thinking.And it made me wonder if these kinds of things will be discussed in Ben's class. The whole thing about how we would conduct a first contact scenario, Balok set up a pretty interesting test for our Enterprise crew and Kirk passed. Balok made it seem impossible to win and wasn't accepting any excuses. So the way Kirk dealt with it was rather brazen! Not chess Mr. Spock. Poker. His bluff to Balok was bold and we know what happens . So I was thinking Balok must know Kirk might be bluffing and decided to go along. Then he probably decided to leave some rope for Kirk and feign his pilot ship is in distress. He probably knew Kirk would beam over to try to help.The main thing though is that I had thought that it was pretty bold of Kirk to try to pull off such a bluff. He had nothing! And to expect an alien who has no experience with humans to go for it.The other aspect I found interesting this time, even though I've seen it a million times, is the landing party's reaction to the tronya. They understandably are hesitant. Kirk makes the first move to show they want to be friends and drinks it even though McCoy doesn't even check it. (We have discussed this aspect before) I think Balok probably already knew it was okay if his technology is advanced to scan the Enterprise. Though Kirk didn't know, he took the risk to show friendship. Which I thought was a nice move on his part. Surprisingly the bluff works again on the Romulans.

 

[Ockeghem]

Nelson,Those are some excellent points. I think the Melkotians were more cryptic as to how they provided their 'out.' But a similar (not an identical, obviously) premise was in place for that one as well.

 

[Nelson Au]

Scott, I always forget that Spectre of the Gun is the same premise, but the Melkots weren't testing Kirk. They really wanted to punish them! There is a warning buoy in both episodes. Will be interesting to read the Cushman findings on this episode.

 

[Ockeghem]

Nelson,

In the words of Kirk during Obsession, "You've just suggested something ... that never occurred to me." You might be right about the Melkotians. I have always thought that they were testing Kirk and company. I thought they were doing that in order to be certain that whomever they befriended was not going to resort to real violence (i.e., killing). That's just my take on it, however.

Here is one of my favorite passages from Spectre Of the Gun:

Melkot: "Captain Kirk ... you did not kill. Is this the way of your kind?"Kirk: "It is. We fight only when there's no choice. We prefer the ways of peaceful contact. I speak for an alliance of fellow creatures who believe in the same thing. We have sought you out to join us. Our mission is still one of peace."Melkot: "Approach our planet and be welcome. A delegation will come out to meet you. Our warning threats are over."

http://www.voyager.cz/tos/epizody/57spectreofguntrans.htm

 

[Nelson Au]

That's interesting Scott. I always saw that episode as not a test, but like Arena. The Melkots were not happy by Kirk's actions to come to their world. But how Kirk dealt with the situation changed the Melkot's perception of humans. Mr. Coon at it again.

 

[Ockeghem]

Nelson,Okay, that distinction makes a lot of sense to me. Still, that never occurred to me before. You've earned your pay for the week.

 

[FanCollector]

"Do you expect us to talk, Melkotians?""No, Captain Kirk! We expect you to die!"Yes, that's also how I have always seen that one too. The landing party exploits a weakness in the Melkotians' planned execution, rather than passing an intentional test. The counterargument in favor of a test is the very elaborate and inefficient means of executing the landing party, but I always kind of imagined the Melkotians trying to make the execution educational for their people, in a Talosian or Excalbian sort of way.Regarding The Corbomite Maneuver, Kirk's bluff is bold, but with what he thinks is about 15 seconds to live, he doesn't really have much to lose, does he? I agree that Balok is probably not fooled (he wasn't going to kill them anyway), but he considers it a successful way to end the confrontation and moves the Enterprise up to the next "level" of the test. What do you think he would have done if Kirk hadn't thought of the bluff and the clock ran out? Just left them where they were and not spoken to then any more? That's my big plot question about the episode. Kirk passes the test at each stage, but what if he failed?

 

[Ockeghem]

Does anyone think that the possibility of the staggering contradiction was created by the Melkotians? Or do you think that it was more of an oversight on their part? Or did it occur as a result of random chance? (I don't buy the latter option.)

Either way, it makes for some wonderful drama, especially once Spock figures out that the laws of physics have somehow been altered. And having Spock and Kirk figure out that history can (at least here) be changed was a revelation. These two instances are for me shining moments in the episode.

 

[FanCollector]

Well, if you view the whole situation as a test, then it must be intentional. The intellectual test has to precede the character test because otherwise, Kirk wouldn't survive to have the choice of killing the Earps or not. To me, it seems like, if not an oversight, a "wrinkle" in the scenario that the Melkotians either don't foresee or don't expect Kirk to be able to exploit. The scene in which Spock figures out the trick is great because his motivation in the scene is so different from everyone else's; his sense of urgency is about something else entirely. His memory may be a bit strangely selective in that he remembers many minute details of the event, as does Kirk, but neither recalls that Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne survive the fight until almost the last moment. But memory really can be unpredictable, and it does give us that great climax that Scott recalled.

 

[Ockeghem]

The sense of urgency of which you speak is one of those instances (and it's a good one) where Kirk's acting shines. There are a few times in the series where Kirk seemingly is listening to a various crew member, and yet he is really thinking about something else entirely. Another one (from a different episode) has Kirk saying "Later, Spock" -- you know Kirk is getting some of it, but just how much is he getting at that point? I may need to keep track of (and list) these instances. I think there are about a half dozen or so of these that I have seen and heard over the years.

There are a couple of intriguing aspects with regard to Spectre Of the Gun. One of these I mentioned above. If it's not a test, then I wonder how the laws of physics were changed. And another not so obvious one is this. The surrealistic atmosphere which is conveyed by the partial sets is augmented aurally by the 'not quite correct' piano music which we first hear after they arrive. To quote George Harrison, the "chords are not quite right." What they are is not only strident, but nearly polytonal. It's almost as if the opposing sonorities (played with the right and left hands alternating one with another) are being performed in different keys simultaneously. The resulting sound of the 'bitonality' paints a picture of opposing dualities (perhaps the reality of the landing party and the semi-reality created by the Melkotians?) very effectively.

 

[Nelson Au]

I rather liked that one Mike Meyers take on James Bond and the often overly complicated means to kill him as the bad guy walks away so that Bind can pull out his gadget or use his wits to figure out a way to escape before the mantrap kills him. And now I'm thinking that this situation never occurred to me before as well. If it really was a test to see what humans are made of, then it was a really subtle one. In the end, the Melkots seem genuinely surprised by Kirk not killing. Were they surprised he didn't kill? Or surprised he didn't do what they expected? Interesting question Scott and interesting how you looked at it Lee. Now I'll be watching this episode with a new perspective. It never occurred to me that the piano we first hear is of a dual nature! It does sound a bit off, and it certainly adds to the atmosphere!

 

[Nelson Au]

I finally finished the chapter on Gamesters of Triskelion. Funny how everyone had issues with the story being too similar to Bread and Circuses. Or how the shuttlecraft carrying Kirk, Uhura and Sulu was taken off course to Triskelion was too similar to Metamorphosis. I hadn't realized what background Gene Nelson had and how this was his only Star Trek assignment. It did not seem like there was an issue with his work. But the big surprise was the rumor the series was cancelled and the cast was so glum for two days until the official word from NBC finally came and the series was picked up for more episodes. Because I was so into The Corbomite Maneuver it was cool to read Provider 2 was voiced by the same actor who voiced Balok! I can hear it now.

 

[FanCollector]

He was a good dancer, but not my favorite director. By a lot. I suppose the idea was if you have James Komack for a week, do a comedy and if you have Gene Nelson for a week, do something with a lot of choreography. Personally, I would have given it to Joseph Pevney. One thing I really like about the script, and it's impressive given that it was one of the first under a new producer, is how it shows so many sides to Kirk, and they all ring true to his established character. There are drawbacks to this one to be sure, but if someone wants to get a sense of who Captain Kirk really is, Gamesters is a pretty good tutorial.

 

[Nelson Au]

I wonder if Marc Daniels and Joe Pevney went onto other assignments given the uncertainty of the rest of the season at that point?It makes me wonder why Komack and Nelson were hired to direct. I didn't get a sense Justman wanted to try them for their strengths for those episodes. I guess il find out about Komack when I get to the Piece of the Action chapter.When you said Gamesters shows some new sides of Kirk, I'm guessing you might mean his bargaining strength with the Providers as he goads them into agreeing to the wager with the greater stakes by saying humans could do something they couldn't? Or his more nurturing side with Shana? "All your people must learn before they can reach for the stars." Kirk was also quite violent in the fight scenes as he's fighting for the lives of his crew. Oh yeah, and you are right about Corbomite Maneuver. With 15 seconds on the clock, the bluff sure was a last ditch move, so why not go all out! . And as to what Balok would have done had Kirk failed the test, that is a very good question! Since Kirk passed, well never know. . But anythings possible. Maybe Balok would decide instead to take them to their planet to be held and that would give Kirk the chance to try to overcome the pilot ship. Maybe Balok would have pulled the trigger and zapped them anyway! That's a tough one.

 

[FanCollector]

I didn't necessarily think Gamesters showed any new aspects of the Kirk character; just that it showed a lot of his different sides in one story. We see his predilection for self-sacrifice, risk-taking, kindness; his distaste for captivity, be it his own or anyone else's; his single-mindedness and ability to prioritize toward accomplishing a goal; his eloquence and ability to read opponents psychologically; even the flying leg kick, I think. Looking at this and The Paradise Syndrome, Margaret Armen seems to have had a real interest in the Kirk character specifically.Good question about Pevney and Daniels taking other jobs when Star Trek was in limbo. The IMDB and TV.com are both quite fallible, but for whatever it's worth, they both show Pevney having no other credits that whole year. Daniels, on the other hand, directed several other television episodes that year, so he might have been harder to pin down. If Pevney really didn't direct anything else that year, it emphasizes how much he had lost his enjoyment for Star Trek, preferring a couple of months of unemployment to continuing on the show for another few assignments.

 

[Ockeghem]

These are two images from StarTrek.com that I received today.

 

[andySu]

Anyone fan here was at comic-con 2014? Or has seen this? Its touching listening to the cast share their thoughts on the shows.

 

[Nelson Au]

Lee, I see your meaning, that the episodes Armen wrote could show so many facets of the Kirk character. Regarding Pevney, I hadn't realized he only directed the first and second season and none after that. I hope there wasn't a falling out. Maybe he just needed to take some time off. I'll try to get another chapter in tonight. I started the next chapter discussing the explosion of press the series and cast was getting in 1967-68. Sure seemed like the series was popular! Scott, StarTrek.com sends you stuff? Looks like fun stuff, from their store? Andy, thanks for the video. It's great to see these videos for us who weren't able to make the shows. There was a video on-line I caught most of of Leonard Nimoy's final tour at conventions. This one was recorded in Phoenix I think and he spent a lot of time going over his career. Great stuff. I'll have to look for that one.